Stephen Hammond was first elected as the Conservative MP for Wimbledon in 2005, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of just 628.
The constituency of Wimbledon contains the communities of Raynes Park, Wimbledon, Morden and Motspur towards the end of the district and northern underground lines in south west London. A commuter seat, overall, this is an economically active and affluent constituency. It possesses some of the highest median incomes of anywhere in the UK. House prices in this part of London are accordingly exceptionally high. The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon is based in this seat.
Wimbledon was held by the Conservatives between 1950 and 1997, before being held by Labour between 1997 and 2005, and then swinging back to the Conservatives. In recent years, the Liberal Democrats have made notable inroads in this part of south east London. Allied to the high 70% of the electorate that voted to Remain in the 2016 European Union referendum, the Lib Dems nearly won this seat in 2019, and it is now one of their top target seats in the UK.
Hammond served as Minister of State for Health between 2018 and 2019, having been Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport previously between 2012 and 2014.
Hammond was previously Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, but was removed from this post in 2017 having voted in favour of giving MPs a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal.
Continuing his Brexit battles, Hammond was one of a number of Conservative MPs, who in 2019 lost the Conservative whip in 2019 when he rebelled against the government in relation to the possibility of a no deal.
Positioned on the left of the Conservative Party, he supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum. He supported Matt Hancock in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.
Born in 1962, Stephen Hammond was educated at London University. Working in the City he became director of the equities division of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in 1994 and four years later joined Commerzbank Securities.
Stephen used to play hockey for a national league team and for his county. He is married with one daughter. He employs his wife as an Office Manager.
Stephen Hammond is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Town Centres; Portugal; Business Travel. He is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Sri Lanka; the Republic of Korea; Corporate Responsibility; Events; Greyhounds; Hockey; Tamils; and South Western Rail.
According to the Register of Members Interests, he works as a Strategic Advisor to Darwin Alternative Investments, an investment company.
Email: hammonds@parliament.uk;
Personal Website: http://www.stephenhammondmp.com/
Twitter: @S_Hammond
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/stephenhammond.net
